Hi, Fatin, thanks for having me! This blog kicks off the virtual tour for the release of my next book, an urban fantasy called BLUE DIABLO. Here’s a blurb:
Right now, I’m a redhead. I’ve been blonde and brunette as the situation requires, though an unscheduled color change usually means relocating in the middle of the night. So far, I’m doing well here. Nobody knows what I’m running from. And I’d like to keep it that way…
Eighteen months ago, Corine Solomon crossed the border to Mexico City, fleeing her past, her lover, and her “gift”. Corine, a handler, can touch something and know its history—and sometimes, its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—and that’s why people never stop trying to find her. People like her ex, Chance…
Chance, whose uncanny luck has led him to her doorstep, needs her help. Someone dear to them both has gone missing in Laredo, Texas, and the only hope of finding her is through Corine’s gift. But their search may prove dangerous as the trail leads them into a strange dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…
You can read the first chapter here if you want. Sound cool?
Well, I’m about to sweeten the deal. I’m doing the first BLUE DIABLO arc giveaway right here, right now. FIVE random commenters will be chosen to read and review the book, well before the street date. Are you excited? Sweet. It gets better. I’m also running a totally kick-ass contest, which I know you’ll want to check out.
Now let’s move on to the meat of the post (because you knew it wasn’t going to be all pom-poms, right?) Here comes the million-dollar question. No, wait, make that two questions.
What is paranormal romance? How does it compare to urban fantasy?
First, here are my definitions.
Paranormal romance tells a love story between two supra-human individuals, and the arc is generally wrapped up in one book. The people at Teach Me Tonight have written a bunch of clever things about defining paranormal romance. If you want a more in depth consideration, you can find it here.
Urban fantasy is more action-oriented and it centers on one protagonist, and his / her personal journey. While there may be a romantic subplot, it’s not always the main thrust of the book. If you’d like more info on that, there’s a lovely Wiki written up, which arguably demonstrates just how hot this sub-genre of fantasy has become.
At any rate, that seems to draw a line, doesn’t it? Tells us what’s what. It shouldn’t be a problem, therefore, to classify what we’re reading.
But what about books like those by Eileen Wilks? She writes about the relationship between Lily and Rule. Though the couple is together by the end of book one, there are more adventures in the series, still detailing the evolution of said relationship. So which is it? If a paranormal romance is not contained in one book, does this then become urban fantasy?
But wait, I have more pepper for the soup. What happens if the hero and heroine break up, as they do in Jeaniene Frost’s first book, HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE? Does that failure to complete the HEA in one volume negate the romance classification, defaulting it to urban fantasy?
It’s an interesting question, I think, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. So chime in!
ETA by Mad: Forgot to list the rules about winning the ARC! Sorry!
A) Winners promise to post a review online somewhere by March 25th.
B) Winners will be selected within 24hrs.
C) Winners must be contact Azteclady (at azteclady1 @ gmail.com) (without the spaces) with their physical addresses asap so she can mail the ARCs (the sooner she mails the ARCs the more time you have to read and then write your review)
D) Winners must send link to online review to either Ann or Azteclady by March 25th. And for double exposure, feel free to email me the link/review too and you can be a guest reviewer here at Novel Thoughts.
Honorary Mention of Book Sluts 'R' Us Blogger Awards by 
RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk 
Woowoo, first comment! Ahem.
Hi, Ann!
Does that failure to complete the HEA in one volume negate the romance classification, defaulting it to urban fantasy?
I don’t believe so. I think that it’s PART of romance for couples to break up and possibly get together. Sure, maybe some readers would think that since they don’t end up together (not necessarily your example) it doesn’t make it a romance and if maybe it was a STAND ALONE then that could the case. But especially with Frost’s series then there’s the possibility that it will end up being HEA because there’s more to come.
Hmm. Maybe I’ve put too much thought into this? LOL.
This is a hard question that has many blurry grey lines…I am and have always been a romance gal…I love my happily ever afters, but recently I have come to love and appreciate watching characters I love grown and develop over several books. So, I really do not know what really defines urban fantasy…except now I have to look in the Sci-Fi/ Fantasy section for many of my books. Look at the wonderful characters and amazing storylines in Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series…this is probably more urban fantasy but it has had the incredible storyline of Mercy and Adam’s romance. (By the way, how cool to have a cover quote by Patricia Briggs!!)
Well, I have rambled on here for quite a bit and I am not even sure if I have answered the question. I would LOVE to be entered as I can hardly await the release of Blue Diablo and I have absolutely loved your other books Ann!
LOL Hi Ann. I’d love to win this one and review it. Hey I gotta add that right?
As for the difference. I honestly think alot of the genres are blurring the lines. There are those books, series, that start out as Paranormal Romance then slowly seem to evolve into Urban Fantasy.
I think for me the biggest difference is:
Paranormal romance is a story who’s main focus is love period. Even if their HEA doesn’t quite go right with book one, or even book 2, or things continue to happen to threaten their HEA. They still focus mainly on the love.
Whereas an Urban Fantasy is more focused on the plot, the other stuff that occurs when love isn’t looking. The demon trying to kill you, the world that doesn’t know it’s only days away from destruction and if you get more powers by sleeping with men well okay we’ll deal with that too, and if you hero happens to be semi bad but still good and it’s a freaking confusing mess as to just who is good and who is bad, well we’ll walk with you to find out the answers.But the main focus is that stuff, not you finding a love to last a lifetime. Not you, hero or heroine, being with one mate forever and having things occur that might threaten your love. It’s the things that occur that seem to be of more importance.
I’m probably making a mess of my explanation. But to me UF while it may have some romance it’s not the main focus. Where PR is all about the love.
hugs,
WendyK
Hello Ann,
Nice to “meet” you here on Fatin’s blog. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about your books from readers and authors.
I think you can have paranormal and urban fantasy combined in one or more books. I know I’ve read several. And I don’t think (in Frost’s case) the failure to complete the HEA in one volume negates the romance classification. I haven’t read her books but I’m guessing there’s romance in the other books in the series. I hope I answered this question well. I’d LOVE to read and review BLUE DIABLO.
Hello Ann! I love the description of your heroine. She sounds like a real exciting character.
I am a HEA reader, but I still enjoy connected series novels… they keep you coming back for more… always wanting to know what is coming next! 😀
Read the rules and I’m ready to read and review!!
Hi Ann,
Love your Jax books, can’t wait to read your new series and would be thrilled to review Blue Diablo.
For me the main difference between PNR and UF is the romance. In PNR the romance takes center stage. The relationship of the hero/heroine is the focus of the story line. There are subplots but it always comes back to the h/h. I don’t think PNR needs to end with a HEA. They could have a HFN and it would still be IMO a romance.
In UF there might or might not be a romance. There doesn’t always have to be a clear cut hero/heroine relationship in UF. You could have the main protagonist with or w/o a love interest and that love interest could change between books. Also like you mentioned, UF is more action driven, grittier. And I think in UF there’s a greater chance of having a favorite secondary character killed off.
Hello Ann,
What is paranormal romance? How does it compare to urban fantasy?
I think about this myself, and you’re right, the lines definitely blur often.
Paranormal romance is a romance between two individuals who aren’t exactly human, in some way or another. The romance is usually the main point of the book, with the plot just there to give it a bit of extra structure. Paranormal romances can also be fantasy or urban fantasy, or mystery/crime novels as well.
Examples of paranormal romance would include Katie MacAlister’s Aisling Grey and Silver Dragon series; Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark; Jacquelyn Frank’s Nightwalkers series; J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood; Larissa Ione’s Demonica series and so on. The “paranormal romance” aspect is more dominate than fantasy, urban fantasy etc.
Urban fantasy is set in our time period and usually in urban centres (cities mostly), and the romance, if there is any, isn’t the main feature of the book. I absolutely love Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress books, and they’re a good example of books that can be considered slightly more urban fantasy than paranormal romance, even though they get shelves with the romance books. This’d be because they don’t feature all that much sex.
Yeah, it comes down to sex, and that all-encompassing love that Christine Feehan’s so good at. If I’m reading paranormal romance, I expect plenty of steamy sex and some really intense love growing between the two main characters. In urban fantasy I expect less sex, less of a focus on relationships, and a bit more on the fantasy/paranormal angle. A good example of this that I read recently is Dust of 100 Dogs, and also Unclean Spirits.
Ugh, sorry for the lengthy answer. Once you get me started!
First let me say I love your Sirantha Jax series and I already have Blue Diablo on my wishlist.
I consider the Jax books to be PNR because the main focus is on the heroine and hero whereas an UF is more about the overall action in the story and the fantasy elements of it.
Personally I quite like following main characters as they grow together in more than one book, but that might just be because I am a reading addict 😉
Me! Raises hand! I would LOVE to do this! 🙂 Your stuff rocks!
LOVE the book cover.
Thanks for your definition between PR and UF, I kinda was wondering about that for a while. I’m working on something along those lines for my next project and I wasn’t sure which it would fall under.
Good luck with your release!!
I think the line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy is pretty distinct. Paranormal romance is as described above. Urban fantasy? Is fantasy that involves a city.
Takes place in a city, yes. But real urban fantasy *involves* the city, almost as a character all its own. Bordertown. Neil Gaiman’s London in “Neverwhere”. Charles de Lint’s Newford. Emma Bull’s Minneapolis in “War for the Oaks”. Delia Sherman’s New York in “Changeling”
Urban fantasy is fantasy where the urban setting is an inextricable part of the storyline. Where the story couldn’t take place anywhere else.
I love Ann Aguirre’s sci-fi work, and I’m curious to see what her paranormal romance would be like; I’d love to review a copy!
YAY! Great topic and timely for me since i have been discussing this with peeps recently. i think it does come down to the focus and excuse me if i repeat something already mentioned in comments (cuz i like just skimmed them) – i think DeLint who is one of the original masters of urban fantasy along with Jane Yolen, Emma Bull and others would definitely not fall under the genre of paranormal romance. While there are romantic elements throughout almost all his novels, the focus is very much on the meshing of magical with contemporary.
And ummm… yeah i would love to be thrown into the pot for an ARC and can rave about it on my blog, tiny baby one that the current one is. 😀
I totally think you can have a romance without a HEA. I always have and that is why I don’t read more romance and why my books, even if I think of them as romance, probably won’t be sold as it.
I think conflict, and not just the misunderstanding you see in romance novels to stretch them out (okay, not that they feel stretched out, but I think you know what I mean) feels somewhat artificial if you know there’s a HEA. I like real conflict, like Spike and Buffy or Angel and Buffy, where you know two people are meant to be together, but you really wonder if they can make it.
As for PNR/UF I’ll agree with your assessment. PNR keeps the romance as the main story, where UF has an exterior plot that often puts the romance on hold to solve a mystery or save the day. I’m a sucker for anything paranormal, but I tend to enjoy UF more, especially if it has a lot of action
And I am very much looking forward to Blue Diablo! I hope I win and ARC I have a streak going where I’ve managed to get ARCs of all of Ann’s books and I’d love to have them all neat and matching on my shelf 😉
I’ll go one better – my copy of Blue Diablo is already on pre-order, and I’m waiting really impatiently for DoubleBlind to be available for pre-order. I need my fix 🙂
I will absolutely review online by the 25th (I already reviewed Grimspace and Wanderlust on my blog last year).
I’m not altogether sure I feel the need for a sharp dividing line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I’m not sure that an HEA is required at the end of a book (and really, I think I’d prefer not to expect it), although I guess you might say it ought to be there at the end of a series. I really don’t look at series books individually, anyway – if I know that there is a series, then I look at the books as an ongoing story arc (or collection of story arcs), where each book just needs to have a reasonably satisfying “pause” (in place of an ending) and the next book needs to start back up with a plausible reason for the hiatus. As long as there is a reasonable amount of paranormal or sci-fi/fantasy involved, I’ll be willing to give a book a good chance to catch my fancy. I’m less inclined to look at the hard romance novels – I’m more likely to enjoy the romance if it becomes part of a more involved plot (like the Jax series – the sex scenes are great, but they provide an extra level of fulfillment to the main story, rather than being the reason for the story).
I can definitely make that deadline, so count me in!
You guys make a lot of great points. Shannon, I am DYING to read Dust of 100 Dogs. I think it’s one of the most interesting premises I’ve heard.
Oh!I want an ARC! Then I can share it with my fantasy book club of high school girls who all love your work.:-). I’m in doctor’s office and have been waiting for an hour, so I’ll have to reply to the questions later. Lots of interesting ?’s to think about.
Wendy, I tend to agree with you.
Lori T, I’ve actually found some amazing love stories not shelved in the romance section. The book The Eye of Night has one of the most moving love stories I’ve ever read, and it’s epic fantasy.
Highlandlove, I think you’re right about the blurring lines. I love a book that really mixes it up.
Mel K, nice to meet you too! Thanks for the kind words.
Colleen, I think that’s the appeal of series. The characters become like old friends, and when a new book releases it’s like getting together for coffee with someone you know well. But that’s why people are so taken aback when a well-loved character does something unusual or a big shift occurs.
Leslie, I’m so pleased to hear that! You’re so right about the body count (unless, of course, I’m writing the romance. My romances have a high body count too).
Ilona, nobody was more surprised than me to have Jax sell as a SF novel. I thought I’d written a romance, no question.
Heh, Jambrea, you forgot to talk about the classifications of PNR vs UF! But I like your enthusiasm. 😉
Jenn, the colors are quite nice, aren’t they? I’m really pleased I didn’t get a tattooed girl in leather.
Shira, that makes me wonder about the urban aspect. For instance, the second Corine book, HELL FIRE, takes place in a tiny little town. That’s not really urban. It’s more rural and there’s adventure in a forest, too. So is it still UF? Well, I think so. And Carrie Vaughn books are still UF, even though they run about the woods in wolf form, no? It’s an interesting label.
Kota, I love Yolen and de Lint. Always been curious about Emma Bull. You recommend her?
Michele, I so hope you win! I’d like for your collection to be complete too. But there will be two more giveaways after this one before the arcs are all gone.
Scott, I loved your reviews. I’m so pleased you’re enjoying my work. I’ll be curious to hear what you think about my Ava Gray books, which are romances, but I think many people will be surprised. (Ask Michele, she got a sneak peek at SKIN GAME.)
Jennygirl, hope you like this one.
CD, I have high school students reading me? Cool!
Hi, Ann, I love your books and can’t wait for BLUE DIABLO.
For me the difference between paranormal romance and urban fantasy is that no matter what’s going on in PR, the emphasis is still on the *romance.* UF can have a nice romance in it, but it’s usually a bit secondary to the main story.
And no, it doesn’t necessarily mean that if a first book in a series doesn’t have a HEA, that it’s not paranormal romance. As long as the HEA is there at the at/by the end of the series! 🙂
“Shira, that makes me wonder about the urban aspect. For instance, the second Corine book, HELL FIRE, takes place in a tiny little town. That’s not really urban. It’s more rural and there’s adventure in a forest, too. So is it still UF?”
I’ll have to read it and see what I think! 🙂
I’ve also heard it said that its an urban *sensibility*; last panel I was on about this sort of thing, the idea of suburban and rural contemporary fantasy was brought up. But we ran out of time to discuss it! *laugh* I think that modern or contemporary fantasy would be a more inclusive label. Charles de Lint calls what he writes “mythic fiction”; I like that, too.
(Definitely read Emma Bull! She’s fantastic!)
oops!
What is paranormal romance? How does it compare to urban fantasy?
I see Urban Fantasy as more gritty then Paranormal. I do think they can both have romantic elements. I think there can be a thin line between the Urban and Paranormal. If it says Urban Fantasy I don’t expect it to have a strong romance and I expect more action. With Paranormal I expect anything to happen. 🙂
Defining urban fantasy and paranormal fiction—quite a challenge, I think, and I like your answers, Ann. I tend to speak vaguely of “paranormal fiction” because I read a lot of books that seem to fall in between them, such as Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series. And the earlier Charlaine Harris books, while they could definitely be called “paranormal romance,” have elements of the mystery genre, while Yasmine Galenorn’s Sisters of the Moon series is shelved with the romances, but doesn’t adhere to the one-man-one-woman convention of most romances (And I’m sorry, I know I’m stereotyping/generalizing there). And except for marketing purposes, I don’t think it’s a bad thing necessarily for these sub-genres to muddy the waters as they do, though it might be difficult to decide where to shelve them.
Another reason I speak of “paranormal fiction” rather than “urban fantasy” is that I am sure that some day I will stumble across a novel set in the “real world” with magical elements, but it will take place in rural Tennessee! And I grew up reading Emma Bull (you totally need to read her!) and Charles de Lint, and thinking of their work as urban fantasy, yet it’s a vastly different genre from what receives that label these days.
I would absolutely love to win an ARC of Blue Diablo, and review it. I’m a Goodreads addict personally, but would post on Amazon, too (’cause I know that helps your sales). I’m really good at making people read stuff—I even got my friend Ken to read Grimspace, and he loved it! (I was worried that the romance elements might make it too girly, but he’s remarkably cool about that sort of thing).
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Wow, is it still open, I always get in so late. International win too? And I always review, ’tis fun 😀
Never did get why paranormal fantasy was different from urban fantasy before now. Nice to finally have it clear.
What is paranormal romance? How does it compare to urban fantasy?
(Everything that follows is prefaced with i.m.h.o. Ask 10 different people, you’ll get ten different definitions).
For a novel or movie to carry the primary (or even secondary) categorization of Romance, I don’t need a HEA/HFN ending, but the romantic relationship for our protagonist(s) absolutely must be one of the primary forces driving the plot.
As for the distinction between fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal? Fantasy and sci-fi take place inside their own self-contained, microcosom(s); even the setting is an aterna-earth, I still lean more towards placing such stories in the category of fantasy. Attaching the urban label means the movie/novel takes place in some kind of metropolitan area. (I get pretty annoyed when post-apocalyptic dystopias a labeled “UF” simply because the publisher can’t come up with anything more succinct). Sci-fi should some sort of interplanetary contact/travel/warfare, advanced technology, and otherworldly beings. What makes a paranormal are stories that take place one earth in the past, present (or within-the-realm-of-possibility) near future and contain elements outside the realm of the average or “normal” human experience (i.e. ghosts, spirits, vampires, shapeshifters, witches, angels, demons, heaven, hell, some other mystically conjured element).
I’m not entirely sure where to place things like faeries, mystical elements induced by human experimentation with silence, or the combination of any previously mentioned factors–which lots of authors are doing these days. In those cases I think the creators are the best people to determine categorization.
Whew!
Can’t wait for the release of BLUE DIABLO!
Personally, I like Urban Fantasy with a hint of Romance. That way, you can have the gritty qualities of Urban Fantasy tempered wit some nice Romance.
Can’t wait for Blue Diablo!!!
Thanks!
Katie
This book actually sounds really interesting! I’m not normally into paranormal, but I go through books faster than anyone I know. Even if I don’t get to win the book I will still probably check it out if I see it in the store or the library.
Catie, I agree with you in that you’d think the authors could say what they meant their book to be. In my case, that wasn’t true, which is why Jax is a romantic SF series instead of a romance. But I’m not sorry about that classification. It gave me more leeway and wiggle room.
Kimberly B, fingers crossed for you! And thanks for the word of mouth testimonial. Nothing is more powerful.
Julianna and Katie, I’ll be looking forward to hearing what you think about the book.
Blodeuedd, you did make it in time. I don’t mind mailing to international winners.
Is it just me, or has everyone been hovering over their email this afternoon waiting … ?
I was in a meeting and couldn’t wait for it to be over so I could check again 🙂